‘Manjhi – The Mountain Man’- Shandar ! Zabardast ! Zindabaad

The film takes off to a different level after Phaguniya dies. Dashrath Manjhi, his clothes soaked in his wife’s blood stares at the towering mountain, challenging it that he will break it down to rubble. The monologue and Nawaz’s possessed expression would surely give goose bumps. Even though all of us know the real Dashrath Manjhi’s story, when Nawaz stands in front of the mountain one wonders – ‘is this even possible?’  His relationship with the mountain and his fight against family, friends and bureaucracy can be a cure for film buffs whenever they are down. One viewing of the film and one will almost say out loud, ‘my problems and sorrow are nothing as compared to this man’s’.

I have been an ardent fan of Nawazuddin Siddiqui since he played Khan in Kahani. And it was after Miss Lovely that I was sure he is one of the more daring actors Bollywood has produced. Actually I would say it is unfair to even add the ‘Bollywood’ tag to Mr. Siddiqui. He is everything that Bollywood wasn’t for a very long time.

As you get involved with Manjhi’s mission of breaking the mountain down; somewhere imagery pops up. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has broken another mountain. The mountain of stereotyping the ‘hero’ in mainstream cinema! A man who isn’t fair skinned, has no steroid induced physique and isn’t adept at gyrating and gymnastic moves has put up a challenge.  A challenge where the actor has to become much bigger that the hero or the superstar.

Nawaz and Manjhi are so inseparable that at one point of time you feel it is the character that has wholly usurped the actor. At one point of time when he is lost in the memories of his dead wife, and has exiled himself in the mountain, sings and dances in his in own world; he almost looks like a saint.

And if this time Nawazuddin Siddiqui still is limited to awards in – Best Supporting Actor category; it would a shame for mainstream Indian cinema.

It would be good to see the film do a round of international film festival circuits and grab a few awards.

We should take a moment to thank the makers of the film. For the thousands in this country who had no idea about who Dashrath Manjhi was; the film is indeed an eye opener. One wonders why the road he made is not a must visit spot for lovers. Taj Mahal is our heritage. But isn’t love also about giving and spreading joy? And what joy this lover has left for an entire generation of people.

P.S- I would request people to watch the film in the theatre. We make films reach the 300 cr club with essentially a plot or a character to remember.  Manjhi deserves more than this genre of cinema.